The Curse of the Jassra
by dragoncymru
Summary: The Jassra has been released and will plunge the Earth into chaos unless the Doctor can stop it. But how do you stop fear itself? And why does the Time Agency want Jack? The concluding part of the story that began with 'Whispers from the Shadows'.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

The magnificent stone tower overlooked the burning city. The chamber at the top of the tower was itself lit by burning braziers and had rectangular openings that allowed an incredible view of the devastation below. Kandras gazed hopelessly down at his beloved home. This was partly his fault. If only he had listened to his father! He turned from the hellish panorama and tried to focus on the current trial. If they were quick they might be able to save the further destruction of countless other worlds.

Halban sat near the stone pedestal that controlled the vaporisation chamber; his grey stone-like hands checking the readings and inserting the appropriate energy crystals to counter any imbalances. Kandras crossed the chamber and put his hand on Halban's shoulder gripping it tightly through the dark robe. Halban glanced up at his brother's crystalline face and gave an encouraging smile, his grey eyes glittering in the flickering light of the flaming braziers.

"The city is destroyed?" Halban asked huskily, but it was more a statement than a question.

Kandras nodded. "How is the vault? Can we destroy it before it escapes?"

Halban studied the energy readouts and glanced up at the holographic display that floated in the air above the stone pedestal. "I think so, but at this range I can't be sure."

"Why not?" Kandras asked worriedly. "If that thing escapes…….."

"The energy signature is breaking up as the vault enters the warp," Halban explained.

Suddenly there was a burst of static and a deep voice emanated from a speaker beneath the display. "You cannot destroy me!" it hissed. "The Jassra will consume all! I will survive!"

Kandras swallowed in fear. "Destroy it," he commanded. "Destroy it now!"

Halban shook his head; the vault wasn't quite in the warp shunt field. "Not yet, it's too early" he warned.

But Kandras took no notice. He could still remember the dead eyes of his father, consumed by fear and dread. "We created it. It's our fault!" He reached over his brother's shoulder and rammed home an energy crystal into the control panel. "Now we destroy it!"

The holographic display flared as the vault containing the creature was obliterated

**1.**

The ghoul creatures advanced through the ruins towards Katherine and Megan with hisses and snarls. Their fangs dripped with viscous saliva and they flexed their claws in anticipation of a bloody kill. The girls backed away in fear and Megan almost stumbled over some fallen pieces of stone wall, but Katherine grabbed her hand and hauled her back to her feet. One of the creatures suddenly sprang towards them. Katherine screamed in terror but Megan reached down, picked up a large rock and swiped it across the creature's snout. It fell backwards with a hiss of anger, the pale, dead eyes filled with hate.

Megan took a firm hold of Katherine's hand. "Run!" she yelled.

The two girls turned and fled, running as fast as their legs could carry them away from the ruins of the monastery and the three horrifying creatures. But the ghouls did not want to lose their prey so easily and sprang after them with a snarl.

It was, Katherine thought wildly, like a nightmare when your legs feel like they're stuck in treacle and you just can't escape from the terror behind you. The creatures were swift and both girls knew that it was just a matter of time before they were caught. They scrambled through bushes, the branches tearing at their clothes, and jumped over rocks and boulders until they left the ruins and were out onto the woodland track once more.

Megan risked a quick glance behind her and gasped in terror. The creatures were indeed catching up on them, now only a fraction of a second behind. Her heart pounding in her chest, Megan increased her pace even harder, almost dragging Katherine with her.

Suddenly, something miraculous happened. The sun that had been obscured almost all day by dark, ominous clouds peeked out and bathed the woodland in glorious summer sunshine. The creatures snarled and whimpered as they were caught in the sunlight and staggered back, their sinewy arms desperately covering their faces and pale eyes.

The brief distraction was all that the two girls needed. Their lungs and muscles aching with the exertion, they pelted down the woodland track and to freedom.

**2.**

The Doctor looked up at the two men who stood over them and grinned. "Right, well, I could of course start the conversation with 'Harkness who?" or try to be funny." The Time Agent with the cropped hair raised his eyebrows sarcastically and the Doctor turned off his grin like a switch, his expression now deadly serious. "But since what's going on here is far too deadly and I think a great deal of people could get killed, let's cut to the chase. I don't know exactly where Jack is; presumably he's in the village. Now what do you want with him and what do you know about what's happening here, or are you going to reply with a depressing" his voice deepened as he mimicked a low, stupid voice, "'I'm asking the questions!'" The Doctor let out a long breath after his excited tirade.

The Time Agent sighed and exchanged a glance with his partner. "I'm Agent Holloway, this," he indicated the other man, "is Agent Grant. We've been tracking you and Harkness; we almost got to you in London."

"Why?" asked the Doctor "I thought Jack was working for you? That's how he got the Vortex Manipulator and was sent to France where I met him again."

Louisa looked between the men and the Doctor as she sat there. Tears were still streaming down her face at the fate of her beloved dog that lay unmoving at her feet. "What are you all talking about?" she sobbed, almost hysterically. "Why did you have to shoot Toby?"

The Doctor reached out to comfort her but she shook him off furiously.

"The dog is only stunned," Holloway replied a little more gently, "we're not killers." The Doctor snorted but Holloway ignored the sarcasm. "Is that what he told you? He isn't working for us," the agent continued. "One of our agents accidentally ended up in this era, was injured, and Harkness's organisation Torchwood got hold of him. We never heard from the agent again and the next thing we know is that a monitoring station picks up that the bracelet has been used illegally. Captain Jack Harkness has gone rogue!"

**3.**

The thing that had once been Sir William saw the human approach and instantly knew that it had to kill it. The pounding, rushing sounds of battle, screams and blood filled its senses and it could feel nothing but bloodlust and anger towards all life.

Jack took a few hasty steps backwards as the creature snarled and advanced towards him. It was incredible how quickly the transformation had taken place and Jack could see that all traces of humanity had been erased. He reluctantly reached inside his jacket for his heavy revolver. Could the Doctor somehow reverse the mutation?

The slight hesitation cost Jack the advantage and as the creature sprang at him he twisted backwards and lost the grip on his pistol that was flung to the ground a few feet away.

The creature was suddenly on him and Jack was pushed to the ground. The mutation had made it both stronger and quicker. The impact knocked the wind from Jack's lungs but he managed to remember basic combat training and pushed out with his legs with all the strength he could manage. The creature was flung over his head and landed on the hard ground behind with a hiss of pain.

Jack shook his head in an effort to clear it and saw his pistol lying a few feet away. The creature was also dazed, but sprang to its feet and into a crouch. With a desperate lunge, Jack threw himself towards the pistol just as the creature sprang towards him.

The pistol shot exploded and hit the creature in the centre of the chest leaving a smoking, gaping hole. The creature fell backwards, hit the ground with a whimper and lay still.

Panting with the exertion, and still gripping the pistol tightly, Jack got slowly to his feet and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked at the sad corpse that lay before him and remembered the man that he had dined with yesterday.

Suddenly there was a shout from further up the hill. Jack spun around to see Katherine and Megan, still holding hands, running full pelt down the hill towards him.

**4.**

The Doctor shook his head in disbelief at what Holloway had told them. "Jack gone rogue?" he scoffed. "I doubt that, and even if he has, I bet he has a good reason!"

Holloway looked closely at the Doctor. "If he has got a good reason, why didn't he tell his old friend the Doctor then? Doesn't he trust you either? Anyway," he shrugged, "I don't care what his reason is; he's stolen our time technology and is using it for his own purpose. We're going to bring him in and you're going to help us."

The Doctor leaned back in his chair, his tone light, although his mind raced over what Holloway had insinuated. Could there be some truth in it? Had Jack changed since he had returned from the dead after the battle with the Daleks? "Am I really? I don't think so Mr Holloway!"

Holloway laughed. "Oh yes you are Doctor, and this time we don't need to resort to threats about your friend." He nodded towards Louisa who glowered at him. "As you quite rightly said; something's happening here and a lot of people will get killed if it isn't stopped. We'll help you stop it, and believe me you'll need our help. In return, you give us Harkness."

The Doctor got to his feet. "Just what is happening Holloway?" he asked impatiently.

Holloway shook his head and smiled grimly. "Not quite yet Doctor. I don't trust you enough. Get us to the village and to Harkness and I'll tell you on the way."

The Doctor was almost hopping up and down with impatience and irritation. "Oh please; I can see why Jack left you bureaucrats and double dealers. You're almost as bad as some of my lot were!" Without warning, he strode towards the doorway, bundling up a surprised and bewildered Louisa as he went. "Come on then," he shouted over his shoulder at the two Time Agents as he marched through the hallway to the front door. "No time to dither!"

Holloway nodded towards Grant. The silent partner gave a short nod in return before both Time Agents drew their sonic blasters and followed the Doctor and Louisa from the room.

**5.**

Katherine threw her arms around Jack's neck and hugged him with relief while Megan was bent double and breathing hard with the exertion of their harrowing escape.

Jack gently rubbed Katherine's back. "It's okay, you're safe now." After her sobbing had subsided and she had taken a few deep breaths, Jack took a step back and his expression hardened a little. "Now what the Hell have you two been doing?" he demanded.

Katherine exchanged a slightly guilty look with Megan. "We just went to the ruins of the monastery up on the hill. Megan told me the story of the monk and the bridge."

Jack nodded as he understood. Sir William had recalled the legend earlier that morning as they had gone to the constable's house. Jack recalled the charming old rogue as he had dismissed anything out of the ordinary. Now he was dead. "What happened?"

"These creatures attacked us! Monsters!" stammered Katherine.

Suddenly Megan took a few steps backwards and stifled a cry as she caught sight of something laying in the grass a few metres away. She pointed a shaking finger at it. "What's that?"

Jack sighed; he knew this was coming. "I guess it's another one of those creatures that attacked you Megan. Only this one used to be Sir William!"

Megan and Katherine gasped in shock. "Is he…..?" whispered Megan, horrified.

Jack nodded, his face fixed. "He's dead, yeah. I had to kill him before he killed me. I'm sorry."

"Oh my God, that's awful!" cried Megan, tears welling up in her eyes. "His poor wife!"

"So the creatures that attacked us were human once?" asked Katherine, her eyes wide with fear.

Jack nodded. "I guess so." He thought for a moment. "How many attacked you?"

"There were four of them," replied Megan slowly, sniffing back her tears.

"Two backpackers missing, PC Hughes….." pondered Jack.

"Nikki and Mark?" gulped Megan realising what Jack was saying. "That's horrible!"

"What's happening here Jack? How do people turn into monsters?" asked Katherine quietly.

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. We need to find the Doctor!"

The girls nodded silently in agreement, and the three of them started quickly down the wooded hill and back towards the village.

**6.**

The Doctor, Louisa, Holloway and Grant were squashed into Louisa's battered blue land rover and on the road from Deering Hall into Pontachor. Much to Louisa's chagrin, the Doctor had insisted on driving and had given her a very odd look as she had handed him the keys.

Louisa stared out of the front passenger seat window as the country lanes whipped past. The Doctor was certainly handling the vehicle well and at quite a pace. As they hit a pothole in the road, Louisa had to hold on to the dashboard to stop herself being thrown to the side.

"Steady on Doctor!" she warned.

The Doctor just grinned and possibly accelerated even faster. He looked at her slightly oddly again. "Trust me?" he whispered so that Holloway and Grant, who were in the back, couldn't hear.

Louisa nodded and the Doctor winked at her before hitting the brake and savagely throwing the steering wheel to the left. "Then jump!" he shouted.

Louisa blinked in disbelief but there was something about the Doctor that made you just trust him implicitly. She opened her door and taking a deep breath, closed her eyes and jumped.

The Doctor had timed their escape to perfection and Louisa landed unhurt on a soft grassy verge. She fell to her knees and watched as the land rover, still carrying Holloway and Grant, careered down the lane. The Doctor picked himself up from where he had landed on the other side of the road and quickly ran across to pull a breathless Louisa to her feet.

"Well done Louisa!" he beamed proudly. "I was getting bored of being pushed around weren't you?"

Louisa just shrugged and gave him a bewildered smile "What next?"

The Doctor looked around as the land rover crashed into a hedge further down the road. "That won't stop them for long!" He grabbed her hand and started to run. "Come on!"

****************************

In the now stationary land rover, Holloway wiped a small trickle of blood from his forehead where he had been thrown forward and injured in the crash. His face was a mask of anger and he twisted around to make sure that his partner was still alive. Groggily, Grant picked himself up from the floor of the vehicle where he had been thrown and nodded to indicate he wasn't wounded.

Holloway growled in fury and drew his blaster from its holster. "Doctor, you'll pay for this!"


	2. Chapter 2

**7.**

Hand in hand, the Doctor and Louisa hurried along the country road towards the village when there was a sudden shout from above them. "Hey Doctor, wait up!"

The Doctor turned and broke into a wide grin as he saw the figures of Jack, Katherine and Megan running down a grassy hill towards them. As they reached them, Katherine flew into the Doctor's arms and he hugged her tightly with relief. Jack smiled as well, but his smile faltered when he caught the Doctor's sudden steely glance towards him over Katherine's shoulder. "I think you've got something to tell me Jack," he said quietly.

"Whatever it is can wait!" blurted out Megan who was looking tearfully at a blissfully unaware Louisa.

Louisa suddenly went cold. "What is it?" she asked, looking between Megan, Jack and Katherine. The colour suddenly drained from her face as she realised who was missing. "Where is he?" she whispered hoarsely to Jack. "Where's my husband?"

Megan instantly burst into tears and Jack looked uncomfortably away before finally meeting her eyes. "Louisa, William's dead. I'm sorry," he said gently.

Louisa's mouth moved but no sound came out. The Doctor was at her side instantly and tried to comfort her, but she pulled away and stumbled towards Jack. "He was with you," she muttered, fighting a rising panic that threatened to engulf her. "What happened? Why didn't you keep him safe!" she accused.

Katherine went to Louisa and held her. "There were creatures," she said quickly, "they attacked us and your husband tried to protect us. He," she paused and looked over to Megan, "died saving our lives!"

Louisa crumpled into tears and Katherine held her as she wept. The Doctor caught the look that had gone between Jack, Katherine and Megan. "We need to talk," he whispered.

Suddenly a high, keening and unearthly wail echoed through the air. It was at once joined by another wail, then another and then another, until there was a terrifying chorus.

"What the Hell was that?" asked Jack, reaching instinctively inside his jacket for his revolver.

The Doctor twisted around, his eyes wide. "I think our problems just got a lot bigger!"

**8.**

The horrific wailing subsided abruptly and the Doctor swung around, trying urgently to get a fix on their origin. He ran across to Megan. "Megan, you know this area, where do you think that came from?"

Megan shrugged. "I don't know," she stammered nervously, trying to keep a clear head. "But it had a weird kind of echo."

The Doctor clicked his fingers. "Echo, of course! Why didn't I think of that? Brilliant!" He grinned at Megan and then started to dash away.

Katherine, still comforting a sobbing Louisa, called out after him. "Doctor, where are you going?"

The Doctor spun around to face her; his eyes bright and Katherine could see that his whole body was full of impatient energy. "It's in the gorge - under the bridge!" he explained urgently. "Jack," he continued, "you're with me. Katherine, you and Megan get Louisa back to the village; look after her." He started off again but then stopped and swung around as he remembered the two Time Agents. "Ah, watch out for two nasty guys with guns. Louisa will tell you; just take care!"

"Guys with guns?" asked Jack carefully.

The Doctor regarded him for a second and then with a wave, and followed by a grim Jack Harkness, his revolver drawn, ran off towards the bridge.

****************************

The four grey ghouls crouched, hissing and snarling, in a rough semicircle around the entrance to the dark, shadowy tunnel that led into the gorge. The boulder that had blocked it for so many centuries lay a few feet away. A grey, unnatural mist began to drift from the depths of the tunnel and as it did, the creatures began to wail once more, cries and howls of both fear and elation.

The mist began to swirl and take the shape of a tall figure dressed in a hooded black cloak. It was the same figure that had attacked both Katherine and Sir William, but this was no insubstantial spectre. The mist evaporated, leaving a fully corporeal creature, although its face was still hidden in the folds of the dark hood. "At last, it whispered, "after eons of imprisonment!" It raised two grey and bony claw-like hands to the sky. "I escaped Jassran, I am free at last!"

**9.**

Louisa shook off Katherine's arm and swallowed hard. "I'm alright; thank you, but I'm okay now." Her voice wobbled and Katherine knew she was just putting on an incredible brave face.

"Let's get back to the village," said Katherine reassuringly.

Megan nodded quickly. "I could do with vodka or two!" she agreed with a note of false cheer. "Louisa, who are the men the Doctor warned us about?"

Louisa looked up from her daze. The news of her husband's death had even driven her recent desperate escape completely from her mind. "I don't know exactly, but they were after your friend Jack."

"After Jack?" asked a puzzled Katherine. "Who would know Jack here?"

Suddenly, the ground next to them rippled with the blast of a sonic weapon. Breaking their cover from some trees further down the hill, Agents Holloway and Grant came charging towards them.

"Run!" yelled Megan and all the women split up, running in different directions.

Grant paused, took aim, and another blast of sonic energy hit Louisa squarely in the back. With a groan she crumpled to the ground. Katherine screamed and paused, running back to see if she could help her friend.

Holloway ran towards her and aimed his blaster at her as she knelt over the fallen Louisa. "Don't move!"

*******************************

The Doctor and Jack dashed towards the old bridge in silence. Jack knew that something had seriously upset the Doctor; he had rarely seen him so angry.

"Time Agents Jack!" asked the Doctor brusquely, slowing his pace to just a fast walk. "Why are they looking for you? What have you done?"

"Doctor, I can explain!" replied Jack a little guiltily.

"You lied to me Jack!" accused the Doctor. "You said you were working for them!"

Jack nodded "I know, I know! Let me….."

But the Doctor abruptly held up his hand to silence him. "It can wait," he whispered, "look!" They had come to the ridge of the gorge and the Doctor pointed down below. They could see the cloaked figure at the entrance to the tunnel and surrounded by its ghoulish minions. "Let's find out what's going on!" He put his finger to his lips and started to walk softly and carefully down into the gorge.

**10.**

The cloaked figure surveyed the grey creatures that surrounded and kneeled before it. "So, my army grows," it chuckled softly. "Good, good. This planet will soon feel my wrath!" It glided forward noiselessly to stand next to one of the creatures that looked bigger, older and uglier than the rest. "My faithful servant," the figure hissed, resting a grey skeletal hand almost fondly on the creature's head. "Sealed with me for centuries, you must have been so hungry!" The creature growled softly. "Soon we will all feed on their fear!"

Behind a nearby group of boulders and rocks, the Doctor and Jack watched and listened carefully. "What is it Doctor?" asked Jack quietly.

The Doctor shrugged. "No idea," he replied, chewing his lip in thought. "Don't think he's a tourist mind you!"

Suddenly there was a cry of 'Doctor! Jack!" from the top of the gorge as Megan appeared, running as fast as she could towards them. The cloaked figure spun around and looked up with a hiss of anticipation and evil glee, whilst the creatures surrounding it snarled with hunger.

The Doctor groaned faintly, but his eyes were serious. "Oh no, I told them to stay away!"

Megan pelted down the side of the gorge, but stopped short and screamed when she saw the creatures and their terrible master at the bottom. The figure in the cloak gave a throaty chuckle as the creatures bound towards her.

"Jack, protect Megan!" ordered the Doctor urgently, pushing him up the side of the gorge. Then, with his hands in his trouser pockets and an affected air of nonchalance, the Doctor stepped from hiding and started to stroll down the hill towards the cloaked figure. "Oh, morning," he greeted it cheerily as he approached, as if noticing it for the first time. "Lovely day isn't it?" he grinned. "Staying at the village are we? Or just passing through?"

The figure turned to confront the Doctor as he got closer and then suddenly tilted its head slightly, almost as if it were listening to something. It raised a hand and the creatures stopped abruptly in their tracks. "You are not the same as the people that inhabit this planet. Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm the Doctor. I think the question really should be who are you?"

The figure gave an evil chuckle and reached up to throw back the hood that covered its head. The face beneath was of a screaming crimson-red skull, the eye sockets filled with a glowing silvery light. "I am the Jassra!"

**11.**

The Doctor pursed his lips in thought. "Jassra, Jassra, Jassra? Nope, can't say I've ever heard of you!" he replied cheekily. "Famous from where you come from are you?"

The Jassra glided menacingly towards the Doctor who watched it carefully, his smiling façade now dropped. "I am fear. I am terror. I am death!" it hissed and closed its silvery eyes.

Suddenly the Doctor reeled as his mind was assaulted by a myriad of terrifying images. Although this was like the attack in Deering Hall, now it was less overpowering and the images clearer. He saw a race of grey, stone-like aliens in a huge stone chamber standing around a column of twisting red and silver energy. Inside the vortex appeared a red flaming skull, laughing and triumphant. The aliens were running and screaming and dying in flames. A huge stone tower toppled to the ground amidst an ancient stone city. Grey ghoulish creatures leapt through the ruins of the city killing any that stood in their way. The Jassra creature was hissing and snarling as it was bound in a force-field of red energy beams. Stars and galaxies twisted and sped past until there was a massive explosion.

Jack meanwhile had reached Megan on the side of the gorge just ahead of the ghoul creatures and had pushed her behind him as the things advanced towards them. But as the Jassra launched its' telepathic assault on the Doctor however the ghouls had paused and turned to watch their master. Jack fingered his revolver indecisively as the Doctor writhed in agony on the ground.

"What's happening Jack?" screamed Megan. "You've got to help the Doctor!"

Suddenly the Doctor's eyes snapped open and he gasped for breath as the images in his mind abruptly faded. He struggled to his feet, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what he had seen. "You were created weren't you?" he asked the Jassra in a low voice. "Created and then banished?"

The Jassra laughed malevolently. "But only after I had released the destruction I craved! And now I shall wreak havoc and destruction on this world until it burns in agony!"

**12.**

Katherine looked up at Holloway defiantly as she checked that Louisa was still breathing and was rewarded with a weak but steady pulse. "What do you want?" she spat.

"You're the Doctor's other companion aren't you," asked Holloway curtly, "from eighteenth century France?" Katherine was startled at the man's knowledge, but before she could retort or deny it, Holloway nodded towards Louisa. "She'll be alright, she's just stunned." Even as he spoke, and much to Katherine's relief, Louisa began to groan and stir.

Grant came trudging back down the hill from where he had chased Megan and shook his head towards his partner. "She got away!" he reported, his eyes betraying his bloodlust.

Holloway glowered at Grant but then shrugged. "Never mind, we've got these two."

Meanwhile, Katherine helped Louisa to sit up. "Are you alright?" she asked gently

Louisa nodded and brushed her long brown hair out of her eyes and refastened her ponytail. She looked up furiously at Holloway. "How dare you!" she spat.

Holloway shook his head in warning. "Don't start!" he replied, his eyes flashing angrily. "Now where's Harkness?"

The two women looked at each other and stayed silent. Holloway suddenly reached down and pulled savagely at Louisa's long hair, forcing her head back. "Don't play games woman!" Now where is he?" He placed his sonic blaster at her throat as she whimpered with fear.

Katherine knew instantly that they would kill them without mercy. "They've gone to the bridge" she whispered.

******************

In the gorge, the shadows were long and it had turned cold. The sky was now completely overcast by sullen black clouds. Megan shivered as she watched the confrontation between the Doctor and the Jassra creature.

The Doctor's mind was starting to clear but he still had questions about what the Jassra had shown him. "Why were you created; as a Jassran weapon?"

The Jassra chuckled again and shook its head, but there was almost self pity in its voice. "I am a distillation of all the negative emotions and thoughts of my world. They thought that by creating and binding me, their civilisation world would become a paradise! Instead it became a nightmare, devastation!"

**13.**

The Doctor began to understand what the Jassran race had intended. "They just wanted to leave positive thoughts and emotions?" He sighed. "Life just doesn't work like that I'm afraid. You have to take what you've got and change it for the better yourselves." His old strength and willpower was returning now. He glanced back over his shoulder to a nervous Jack and Megan, gave them a reassuring wink and beckoned for them to join him. "Anyway you're here now and have been for, oh about eight hundred years give or take."

Jack held Megan's hand as they walked down the side of the gorge, past the ghoul creatures, and approached the Doctor. "How do you know?" Jack asked the Timelord.

The Doctor pursed his lips and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'm going back to the legend of the monk and the bridge. I'm guessing that the poor monk didn't fall off the bridge by himself but witnessed the arrival of our skull faced friend here on Earth. Over the centuries, the Jassra's latent telepathic powers have leeched out now and again causing the odd psychic disturbance – a shade here, a cold wind there – that kind of thing. But what woke you up?" A sudden thought struck him and he groaned. "Of course, the lightning storm that Sir William told us about. Probably struck the impact spot directly and 'zap' – a bit of Dracula-like resurrection!" He looked at the silently watching Jassra and grinned. "How am I doing?"

The Jassra held out a bony hand and one of the ghoul creatures bounded towards it like a faithful hound. It was the bigger and older one. "You are very perceptive Doctor, but what happened to the monk?"

The Doctor thought for a second and looked down at the creature crouched next to the Jassra. He clicked his fingers. "He became your first ghoul guide there didn't he? I should have thought of that earlier." He paused. "How do you do that by the way?"

The Jassra laughed cruelly, the silvery glow in its eye sockets intensifying as it pointed at Megan. "Then observe the curse of the Jassra!"

Megan screamed in agony at the ferocity of the Jassra's mental assault. Her blonde hair started to wither; the colour drained from her face leaving it pale, whilst her teeth started to grow into needle-like fangs.


	3. Chapter 3

**14.**

Megan was slowly being transformed into a ghoul creature as the Doctor and Jack watched. "This is what happened to Sir William and the constable!" cried Jack,

"I know," replied the Doctor, his eyes wide with both fascination and worry at Megan's transformation. "And the other two ghouls there are our missing backpackers!" He set his jaw defiantly. "But it doesn't have to be like this!" He turned to Megan, held her shoulders firmly and looked deeply into her now pale grey eyes that were filled with pain and fear. "Megan! Megan, listen to me! You can fight this; fight it Megan!"

Through the haze of pain and the terrible images that flooded her mind, Megan heard the Doctor's firm yet soothing voice. "I can't!" she gasped. "I can't – its' devouring me!"

The Doctor shook his head. "No," he muttered through clenched teeth, "I will not lose you this way!" He closed his eyes and concentrated, reaching out with his mind until he could picture the Jassra before him. His brow furrowed with the effort and beads of sweat began to trickle down his face.

Jack watched the Doctor and Megan nervously but turned as the Jassra creature suddenly howled with rage. The skull face was burning redder and darker, the silver glow that emanated from its eyes was brighter than ever; and its' skeletal hands clenched and unclenched in spasms. It howled again and then without warning, suddenly evaporated into swirling grey mist.

The Doctor took a huge lungful of air as he opened his eyes. Much to his relief and delight, he saw the colour start to return to Megan's cheeks. Her blonde hair was full and long, her teeth lost their pointed fangs and lastly, her eyes slowly faded from pale grey back to their normal bright blue.

Megan blinked, took a deep breath and then hugged the Doctor tightly. "Oh my God; what was happening?"

"You were turning into one of them." The Doctor pointed to the four ghoul creatures that had suddenly turned with a yelp and started to scrabble away, further and deeper into the gorge.

You saved me?" asked Megan weakly.

The Doctor nodded and grinned. "Yes; yes I did!"

**15.**

Megan took a step forwards and swayed precariously as she regained the control of her muscles. Smiling encouragingly, the Doctor held her arm as her strength returned to her.

"What did you do Doctor?" asked Jack curiously.

The Doctor scratched the back of his head. "I managed to beat the Jassra at its' own game I think – countering the psychic attack." He let out a long breath; he was clearly exhausted after the confrontation. Megan could see the dark circles under his eyes and the sweat on his brow

"Could you do it again?" asked Jack evenly, eager to find a way they could beat the alien menace.

The Doctor shrugged. "I don't know. The Jassra wasn't expecting it this time so….." He paused and watched the retreating ghouls as they ran deeper into the shadowy gorge, "I wonder where they're going?" He took a deep breath, gathering his strength. "I've got to go after them."

"You've got to be joking!" gasped Megan. "After what you've just been through?"

"The Jassra has to be stopped," replied the Doctor simply, "But you can stay here if you want?"

Megan looked around at the gathering gloom and shook her head. She knew the Doctor was right.

The Doctor smiled proudly at her. "Come on then!"

******************

Holloway and Grant pushed Katherine and Louisa ahead of them as they climbed to the top of the ridge. They looked across to see the old stone bridge that spanned the gorge, but could see no movement between the rocks and boulders beneath it.

Holloway grabbed Katherine's arm. "I thought you said they went to the bridge?" He pointed his sonic balster at her. "If you've lied to us?" he threatened.

Katherine's eyes flashed angrily. She wasn't used to being pushed about like this. "That's where they said they were going, now leave us alone!"

Holloway just sneered at her. "Not a chance sweetheart. You're going to be a great way of getting Harkness when we find him."

Grant swung a small electronic tracker around in front of him. "There's been an energy trace here recently."

Holloway nodded and gestured to the bottom of the gorge. "Let's try down there."

**16.**

The Doctor, Jack and Megan soon found the split boulder that had been moved to reveal the dark tunnel that led into the side of the gorge.

"This is where the capsule that contained the Jassra must have crashed in the twelfth century," the Doctor explained. "I can't be sure, but I'd bet the monks sealed up the site with these huge rocks to stop 'the Devil' getting out - particularly after the poor friar fell to his death from the bridge." He paused and looked back at Jack and Megan. "You don't have to come with me you know."

"We're with you," replied Jack, and Megan nodded nervously.

"Good," grinned the Doctor, "glad of the company!" He started down the cold, dark tunnel and pulled out his sonic screwdriver to give them some light. He paused and pushed a cobweb from his face. "Won't you come into my parlour…."

Megan rolled her eyes. "Oh, do you have to rub it in?"

Suddenly, the terrifying figure of the Jassra materialised in front of them in a swirl of grey mist. Its eyes flashed with an intense light and the Doctor was instantly flung to the ground, crying out in agony at the ferocity of the mental assault. Megan screamed in terror and before Jack had chance to act, the Jassra turned to look at her. "Nothing can save you now!" it hissed. Megan screamed again and then her eyes grew pale and her face became blank. The Jassra gave a terrible cruel laugh and there was another swirl of mist; both the Jassra and Megan vanished from sight.

Jack looked around desperately. He hadn't even been able to draw his revolver. He reached down and helped a groaning Doctor to his feet. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Doctor, I couldn't save her! It all happened so fast!"

The Doctor nodded. "I know; it's not your fault. I told you I couldn't always beat it. It was too strong this time." He looked worriedly at Jack. "We should never have brought her here Jack!"

Jack nodded grimly. "I know. What now?"

The Doctor gazed down the tunnel and into the darkness. "We go on!"

**17.**

The Doctor and Jack continued carefully down the tunnel. The Doctor's breathing was laboured. He knew what he must face and he was preparing himself for it. Similarly, Jack held his service revolver in front of him. The tunnel suddenly opened out into a small chamber about five metres in diameter. The Doctor held his sonic screwdriver up and in the dancing shadows they could see twisted wreckage. "The Jassran prison vessel!" breathed the Doctor.

From the darkness behind the wreckage came the sounds of snarling and hissing. Four ghouls started to advance towards the Doctor and Jack, whilst in the centre of the wrecked craft, the familiar swirling mist began to appear as the Jassra started to materialise. As the Jassra took solid form, next to it stood a partly transformed Megan. Her hair was withered and grey, her skin pale, eyes that glittered with malice, and long fangs and claws.

"The final battle!" said the Doctor firmly, closing his eyes to prepare for the Jassran mental assault.

Jack fired two shots into the oldest and largest ghoul. It screamed in pain as grey blood exploded from the two smoking holes in its chest and it collapsed to the ground.

Suddenly, there was the sound of running feet from behind the Doctor and Jack. The Time Agents Holloway and Grant, followed by Katherine and Louisa, burst into the chamber. The two agents were amazed by the horrifying sight before them, but their training was sound and they opened fire with their sonic blasters.

The ghouls and Megan leapt towards with a screech. One ghoul was shot expertly by Holloway and fell dead, but the other two avoided Grant's sonic beam and jumped on him, tearing and rending the flesh from his bones. With a dreadful scream, he was pushed to the floor as the two creatures continued to rip and bite at him.

Katherine gasped at the creature that Megan had become, but was determined that her friend should not hurt herself or try to kill anyone. Shouting to Louisa to help her, the two women grabbed the spitting and snarling Megan and held her firmly against the tunnel wall.

The Jassra screamed at the demise of two of its' servants and then turned its' baleful gaze towards the Doctor.

**18.**

The terrible images of death and destruction started to flood the Doctor's mind, but this time he was prepared. He had realised how he could beat the Jassra. He focussed his mind on a single constant – the image of a young blonde girl – Rose Tyler. Rose's compassion, inner strength, ingenuity, and joy of life filled the Doctor's mind as he remembered his friend.

The effect on the Jassra was incredible. It had never encountered such faith and passion before, especially from a mind as strong as the Doctor's. It was the antithesis of all that it represented and the psychic feedback it generated was devastating. The creature began to wail and screech in agony. It twisted and writhed, caught within a focus of positive thought and emotion and instead of becoming a whirling mist, it began to become transparent and fade from sight.

The two remaining ghouls faced off against Holloway and Grant and snarled viciously like trapped animals. They suddenly leapt towards the two men and around them, intending to scrabble into the darkness of the tunnel and escape. But both Jack and Holloway were expert marksman. There were two booms from Jack's service revolver followed by the hum of sonic energy from Holloway's blaster. The two ghouls lay on the tunnel floor, still twitching and hissings until all the life energy left them and they lay still.

Katherine and Louisa still held the struggling Megan. However, as the Jassra twisted and screamed, Megan's snarling lessened and she started to droop in their arms. Katherine nodded to Louisa, who sat a now dazed Megan on the floor of the tunnel. Her hair and teeth were returning to normal again, and she shook her head and blinked as her eyes returned to their usual blue colour.

The Doctor opened one eye tentatively and saw what was happening to the weakened Jassra. He grinned and then opened both eyes just as the Jassra faded completely from view with a last terrifying howl of rage and anger. The Doctor rushed over to the centre of the wreckage and jumped on what appeared to be a golden metallic strongbox. "Gotcha!" the Doctor yelled triumphantly.

**19.**

There was a deafening silence in the tunnel. "Everyone alright?" asked the Doctor, clutching the metallic box.

Katherine looked at Megan with concern, but Megan just smiled a little dazedly and nodded. Louisa sat back on the floor of the tunnel and smiled as well, pushing her dark hair away from her eyes.

Holloway and Jack regarded each other coldly and then both swung their weapons up to cover the other. "Don't move Harkness!" snarled Holloway, clutching his sonic blaster tightly. He pointed to the body of Grant that lay twisted and bleeding on the ground. "That's another Agency death you've caused, and you're going to pay!"

Jack shook his head. "It's not like that," he said quietly through gritted teeth, "it was never like that!"

The Doctor got slowly to his feet. "Guys, guys," he said lightly, "we've probably just saved the world. Let's not argue about this now." His tone became more serious. "There's been enough death for today."

Holloway's cold expression never faltered. "My orders are clear Doctor. Harkness killed a Time Agent and stole his bracelet. Ask him?"

The Doctor looked to Jack and raised a eyebrow. "Well?"

Jack shook his head again but lowered his revolver. "We did pick up the Agent in Cardiff, but he was injured when we found him and we couldn't save him. But he was escaping from the Agency anyway!" Jack turned to face the Doctor. "The Time Agency has become corrupt! Remember when we first met? Those two years I told you about? The Agent told me what had happened. My brother….."

Holloway cut him off. "You're lying!" He raised his sonic blaster and his finger started to squeeze the trigger. Suddenly he cried out in pain as the metallic box the Doctor had been holding hit him in the shoulder and threw off his aim. The energy from the sonic blaster hit the wall of the tunnel with a boom and then Jack was on him, struggling for control of the weapon.

The Doctor started forwards, intending to help Jack, but as the two men twisted and fought, Jack grasped Holloway's Time Bracelet. Jack managed to glance quickly at the Doctor and then pressed a button sequence. There was a whine of power then both men were enveloped in a golden, shimmering beam of energy.

"Jack!" screamed Katherine, but as the energy dissipated, both men had vanished completely.

**20.**

Katherine sat in the bar of 'The Stag' and took another sip of her wine. So much had happened since yesterday afternoon when they had defeated the Jassra. She still couldn't believe that Jack had gone, but the Doctor had been philosophical about it and had refused to go after him, much to Katherine's chagrin. It had been almost as difficult saying goodbye to Louisa Deering, but as a new widow, she had busied herself organising the funeral of her late husband.

As for Megan, Katherine had grown to be very fond of the young Welsh girl and had been delighted when the Doctor had agreed to her request. Katherine watched Megan as she gave her father a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek before picking up a hastily packed backpack.

Megan crossed the bar to where Katherine stood just as she finished her wine. "Ready?" asked Katherine.

Megan nodded and smiled. "I told Dad I'm going travelling. I've got a few weeks before I go back to university and he can manage the bar without me. We rang Mum, but she was off on work business," her smile faltered, "as usual. She won't even know I've gone!"

Katherine jumped off the barstool and gestured at Megan's backpack. "Well you've got more than me when I started, come on!"

"Where are we going?" asked Megan with surprise as Katherine led her not outside, but to the cellar door.

Katherine grinned as she opened the door and started down the stairs. "Wait and see!"

With a frown, Megan followed Katherine down the stairs to the cellar. The girls stopped at the foot of the stairs and Megan looked around expectantly. "Now what?" she asked a little nervously, dark memories resurfacing in her mind.

Moments later, they heard the unearthly wheezing, groaning sound as the TARDIS materialised in the gloomy cellar. The Doctor stepped out with a grin. "That's the Jassra sorted out. I don't think even it could stand the heat of a supernova." He looked at Megan with a smile. "Hello! Fancy a trip?"

Megan was speechless, a huge grin on her face, but she managed to nod her head up and down as she gazed past the Doctor and into the huge space inside the TARDIS. "It's bigger……"

The Doctor laughed. "Yes it is!" He spun around and gestured towards the cellar. "You won't be getting any more collie-wobbles in here either. Do you know, the Jassra tunnel led in precisely in this direction. You must've felt a small psychic bleed." The Doctor gestured inside. "Shall we?"

The TARDIS dematerialised leaving the cellar in darkness - silent darkness.

_**Next Time**__: A crisis in deep space awaits the Doctor, Katherine and Megan in __**'The Karzak Gambit'**__._

**The Curse of the Jassra – Confidential**

So my first change in the regular characters came with this story as Jack leaves the TARDIS crew and Megan joins. There were several reasons why this happened.

As I have said before, when I started writing this series, I did so on very much an ad hoc basis with little planning, just writing to see where the story took me. I thought including Jack again would be a good idea as it would give the readers someone familiar to identify with (crucial in a story by a 'new' writer'), Jack is good fun to write for, and finally that he serves a very good purpose – that of the 'soldier' in many stories.

However, as I wrote 'Time of the Witch', it soon became apparent that I had my own original companion to include in the form of Katherine de Gallois. As I look back over the first stories, I realised how much effort I had to put in so that she was not overshadowed by the more ebullient, charismatic and knowledgeable Captain Jack Harkness. His couldn't really continue, so by 'Splinter of Steel', Jack's days were numbered.

I wrote the start of the arc to write out Jack in this story by having the then un-named Agent Holloway making a cameo appearance as a 'man from the ministry'. I knew that they would turn up again in this story and effectively get rid of Jack, at least for the time being. I also managed to create a bit more back-story for Jack with the Time Agency and his missing memory, and even mentioned his brother far before 'Torchwood' did!

And then there's Megan. Again, Megan didn't start out as a companion but just grew that way from the way she started to come to life off the page and I realised I shouldn't let this character go! The dynamic between Katherine and Megan compared to Katherine and Jack would be completely fresh and different. It would also mean that Katherine wouldn't effectively get 'shut out' of conversations between the Doctor and Jack and give the two girls a chance to 'gang up' on the Doctor too!

I'm very fond of the new TARDIS crew and I hope you like them too…………


End file.
